Bridgeport Gets Their All-Star Back

This move is flat out questionable in my opinion, but center Ryan Strome has been returned on loan to the Sound Tigers in a move to free up roster space for the return of oft-injured defenseman Radek Martinek. Through 15 games with the Islanders, Strome totaled 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points. Even though his production has been coming along slowly, the Islanders' 20 year old top prospects has made strides in each game since his debut.

I am admittedly having trouble understanding the logic behind this given Strome's ability offensively and the number of defensemen currently on the roster. If it were me, Matt Carkner would be waived to make room for Martinek. Even if you are of the mind set that Carkner and Martinek are equally as effective due to Martinek's age and injury history, he can still log minutes and is a good skater. Carkner's lazy penalties on a game to game basis have hurt the Isles in a big way, especially with how ineffective the penalty kill has been this season.

Aside from waiving Carkner, there are other options to consider. Both Matt Donovan and Calvin de Haan are young enough defenseman where they too could have been returned on loan. If it were to be one of those two, Donovan should be the one to go temporarily in light of how well de Haan has played.

There is no word yet on the severity of the "upper body" injury to Travis Hamonic, but he has yet to be placed on the IR so clearly room had to be made, this was just not the right move in my personal opinion.

Ryan Strome needs to be in the NHL to develop at an NHL level. He has already shown he can dominate in the world's best developmental legaue, and time down there again will not improve his play in the NHL. Yes, a positive is that he will see first line minutes but there is only so far that will take a player.

I hope for the sake of the Islanders that there is another move coming and Strome will be recalled again shortly, or this will be yet another move that will have the front office torn apart by fans everywhere. Lets all cross our fingers and hope for the best because at this point, it is just another baffling move made by the management in Uniondale.